Recovery of small rodents from open‐pit marble mining: effects on communities, populations, and individuals

作者：Nan Wu, Yao Wang, Jie Wang, Yaqian Zhang, Baoshuang Hu, Jinyu Guo, Zhenfei ZHENG, Youbing Zhou · 发表于：Integrative Zoology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1111/1749-4877.12811 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies、Wildlife Ecology and Conservation、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Mining can significantly alter landscapes, impacting wildlife and ecosystem functionality. Natural recovery in open-pit mines is vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem re-establishment, although few empirical studies have examined this process. Here, we assessed temporal and spatial responses of small rodents at the community, population, and individual levels during natural mine recovery. We examined the abundance, reproductive potential, and individual health of small rodents at active mines and at former mine sites left to recover naturally for approx. 10 and 20 years. We also assessed the effects of disturbance on rodent recovery processes at three distances from the mine boundary. Rodent numbers peaked after 10-13 years of recovery and exhibited the strongest male bias in the sex ratio. The Chinese white-bellied rat (Niviventer confucianus) was the most abundant species, achieving its highest population abundance at sites abandoned for 10-13 years and thriving at locations closer to the mine boundary. Only Chevrier's field mouse exhibited morphological responses to the mine recovery category. Ectoparasite load was unaffected by mine or distance-disturbance categories. Both Chevrier's field mouse (Apodemus chevrieri) and the South China field mouse (Apodemus draco) were affected significantly by vegetation layer cover during recovery succession. Our study highlights the complexities of ecological succession, with a peak in abundance as pioneer communities transition ...